System and method for NAS server test load generation

A test device for testing a Network Attached Storage (NAS) server, the test device comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to:
• identify a session established by a NAS client for testing a load of the NAS server, the NAS client being an autonomous application instantiated on the same test device as a network stack;
• intercept and take over the session at the network stack of the test device;
• terminate the NAS client to release resources of the test device used to operate the NAS client;
• and
• communicate a data request for the session from the network stack to the NAS server after terminating the NAS client, wherein communicating the data request for the session to the NAS server after terminating the NAS client exerts the load on the NAS server without using the resources of the test device to operate the NAS client.

A Network Attached Storage (NAS) server configured to operate in a test mode, the NAS server comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to:
• receive one or more data requests for a session established by a NAS client to test a load of the NAS server, wherein the one or more data requests are received from a network stack layer of a test device after the NAS client has been terminated;
• and
• while receiving the one or more data requests for the session, receive one or more subsequent data requests for a subsequent session established by an additional NAS client to test a load of the NAS server, wherein the one or more subsequent data requests are received from the network stack layer after the additional NAS client has been terminated, and wherein the NAS client and the additional NAS client are autonomous applications instantiated on the same test device as the network stack layer.